May - September 2011

The aim of EBSRT is to develop a common platform for business-related services on issues of mutual interest. It gathers representatives of associations involved in the services sector across Europe. The following subjects were presented and discussed at the premises of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN):

CEN activities and update: presentation by Maitane Olabarria Uzquiano, Programme Manager on standards and quality of life at the European Committee for Standardization (CEN)

The “Liaison Forum”, which is organised several times per year by DG EMPL, offers a regular platform of information, discussion and exchanges of experience on subjects of interest for EU social partner representatives. The following subjects were presented and discussed

Welcome and introduction:

Jean-Paul Tricart, Head of Unit for Social Dialogue and IndustrialRelations, DG EMPL, EuropeanCommission

Mr Costas Constantinou, Head of Unit for Health, Safety and Hygiene at

This meeting was divided in two sessions, during which the following subjects were presented and discussed:Work, DG EMPL, European Commission

The EEN, which is organised several times per year by BusinessEurope, offers a regular platform of information, discussion and exchanges of experience on issues of concern for European employers associations’ representatives. The following subjects were discussed:

Working time: discussion on latest developments and next steps regarding the revision of the working time directive

Precarious work: presentation of the inputs received so far from EEN members and discussion on the next stages of EU employers’ work on flexible forms of employment

Single Market Act:

Exchange of views on social aspects of Single Market Act

EU employers’ participation in Commission conference on “fundamental social rights and the posting of workers in the framework of the single market” 27-28 June 2011

Activities in the cross-industry social dialogue: Joint projects on climate change, flexicurity and social dialogue

Jointly organised by UNI Europa and the EFCI, this meeting was dedicated to the following issues:

Presentation by the Dutch EFCI President Hans Simons on the jointly created committee by Dutch employers and trade unions regarding the negotiations with major industry’ clients, intermediaries/advisors and facilities management representatives on the establishment of a “Code Good Client” – with the aim to promote fair competition and transparency in public and private contracts through the commitment of “good behaviour”, especially of clients but as well of employers, employees/unions and the other stakeholders

Presentation on the initiative of Fit for Work Europe regarding musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s) in the workplace by Neha Dave, from the Fit for Work Europe coalition based in Brussels

Presentation of concrete actions by John Church from the Irish national Fit for Work Initiative as well as questions and discussion regarding a closer collaboration between the Fit for Work Europe coalition and the European social dialogue committee of the cleaning industry

Follow-up on the on-going representativeness study for DG Employment carried out by the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound): Information by Andreas Lill on the state of play regarding EFCI’s and UNI Europa’s members’ involvement

The Commission has hold a two-day conference aimed at discussing with stakeholders the exercise of fundamental social rights in cross-border situations, the implementation of the Posting of Workers Directive and the future actions and priorities in this area.

a.)Monday 27th June:

László Andor, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission

Radosław Mleczko, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Republic of Poland

Andreas Storm, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany

Prof. Mario Monti, President of Bocconi University, Italy

Panel: Reconciliation between fundamental social rights and economic freedoms:

The Commission has hold a conference aimed at discussing with stakeholders the future orientations for the modernisation of the EU legislative framework for public procurement. The Commission presented the results of the ex-post evaluation of the existing legislation and the public consultation via the Green Paper launched in January 2011 (the EFCI submitted its position paper on 18th April 2011). The conference was divided in 3 panels as follows:

Next to the EFCI, representatives from ABSU-UGBN (Steven de Cleer) and from FEP (Stéphanie Hirtz) and the person in charge of themonitoring of the “LIFE plus project” on behalf of the Commission (Capucine Dubois from the French company Astrale GEIE / Oréade-Brèche) attended the meeting. The purpose was to monitor and to assess the state of advancement at mid-term of this project co-financed by the Commission and wherein five EFCI member associations are involved (Belgian, English, French, Italian and German). Special focus was put on the measures taken until now as well as the action plan developed by the Belgian association (ABSU-UGBN) in the frame of this European project.

The WFBSC is an organisation gathering national and international associations, manufacturers and suppliers of the cleaning industry from around the globe. The main goal of the World Federation is to address and solve problems of common interest, exchange new ideas and techniques, and promote the industry. Next to the EFCI, a Brazilian delegation of the WFBSC lead by its President Adonai Aires de Arruda and the President of the Belgian association (Yvan Firemans) attended the meeting. This gathering was mainly dedicated to exchange views on crucial issues for the cleaning sector at worldwide level and to present the WFBSC activities, in particular the next WFBSC congress which will take place in the Brazilian city of Curitiba between the 10th and the 14th October 2012. The aim was to make emerge an eventual collaboration between the Belgian association (ABSU-UGBN) and the WFBSC.